Whampoa Park wins HDB's new landscape design award, empty land now holds pet park, boardwalk, 12 rain gardens & hosts disc golf games

Once an unused empty plot of land nestled between Whampoa Road and Sungei Whampoa, the two-year-old Whampoa Park has won the Housing and Development Board's (HDB) inaugural Landscape Award.

It features Whampoa's first pet park, an elevated 400-metre jogging track, senior-friendly fitness stations and wellness benches, as well as a therapeutic garden and boardwalk over a rain garden that drains into the river.

Original rock formations in the field were repurposed as landscape features in the 1.3-hectare park, and 12 existing mature trees were also retained and integrated into the park's design.

Whampoa Park is one of four recipients of HDB's 2025 Landscape Award, a new category under the HDB Awards, which are awarded to projects that show excellence in design, engineering and construction.

The other winners of the 2025 Landscape Awards are Bidadari Park, Bidadari Hillock Park, and Waterfront II @Northshore.

Features of the park

Completed in 2023, the park was designed by AGA Architects and Surbana Jurong Consultants to "seamlessly integrate new recreational spaces with the site's natural features", HDB said in a Sep. 21 release.

One key feature is a 240 sq m pet park where pet owners can take their furkids for a walk or run.

As the park took shape, some 950 residents were invited to share their input via online surveys and ideation workshops, over a period of six months to a year.

The pet park was a suggestion contributed by residents, some of whom are pet owners who congregate there on weekday evenings and on weekends.

A 51-year-old resident, Eric Wong, who was one of those consulted, said it is a welcome change to have a pet park in the vicinity where he can walk his dogs without a leash.

As Whampoa Park is just a five-minute walk from home, Wong regularly brings his pets over to exercise, and also hangs out and chats with other owners.

To facilitate communal bonding, the park also has a lawn space for community activities, such as picnics and movie screenings.

It also plays host to matches of disc golf — a thriving sport amongst the Whampoa community.

To cater to senior residents, the park has dedicated senior-friendly fitness stations and wellness benches with built in attachments like bike pedals.

It also has a children's playground with unique elements, such as a parent-child swing and an arc see-saw.

Natural features preserved in park's design

In preserving its natural heritage, 12 mature trees that lined the original field were retained and incorporated into the park's design.

The park's 400-metre jogging track was intentionally elevated to preserve the root systems of the trees.

Additionally, a cluster of boulders from the field were repurposed as seats, wayfinding signs, or for decorative purposes.

The park is also designed with 12 rain gardens that collect and discharge rainwater into a dry pond that visitors can view from a boardwalk.

It also serves the function of purifying surface runoff before the water enters the nearby Sungei Whampoa.

Jalan Besar Member of Parliament Shawn Loh, who helms the Whampoa ward, told reporters on Sep. 19 that since its completion, Whampoa Park has become an icon in the neighbourhood and is well-received by residents.

While Whampoa has a reputation as an old and mature estate, its demographic profile is expected to change significantly with the completion of upcoming Build-to-Order (BTO) projects, said Loh.

"So this pet park and children's playground makes Whampoa Park quite future-proof for the different changes in the demographic profile. At the same time, we see a lot of senior residents here using the park almost on a daily basis. That's really something they appreciate, and we hear a lot of good feedback from the community," said Loh.

Top image by Daniel Seow/ from HDB